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Germany aims for the green clouds

Germany’s EU presidency has opened with a green cloud on the horizon. Two months ago, at the United Nations’ climate change talks in Nairobi, Kenya, German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel was praised for his environmental ambitions when it came to reducing EU carbon dioxide emissions.

With Europe struggling to meet an 8% reduction target for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2012 under the Kyoto Protocol, Gabriel said it was time to up the stakes: “We suggest that the EU should reduce its emissions by 30% by 2020 compared to 1990 levels,” he told international leaders in Nairobi. “In this case, Germany would be willing to reduce [its] emissions by 40%.”

But political observers quickly began to doubt that Germany would follow the minister’s tough talking with tough action. Days after the Nairobi speech the European Commission announced that Germany’s proposed national allocation plan (NAP) would have to be changed.

Germany proposed allocating permits for 482 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year after 2007. The Commission says the total should be no more than 453 million.

But Berlin points out it already faces a heavy emissions reduction burden. The EU average may be 8%, but this is split into different national targets. Heavily industrialised Germany is among the countries aiming to bring its emissions down the furthest, with a 21% target over its head.

The Commission warned last year that Germany was a long way off meeting this target and national resentment over being asked to do more than other member states remains widespread.

Industry reacted to the Commission decision by asking Berlin to stand by its original NAP. Several large chemical and power companies warned that they would withdraw German investment plans if the emissions permits were reduced for the 2008-12 trading period.

The German economics ministry seems to be backing the industry line, with Michael Glos, the economics minister, saying that Germany could not sacrifice competitiveness to carbon reduction. Junior Economics Minister Joachim Wuermeling added that it was up to member states to decide how they met Kyoto commitments. And even Gabriel has warned against turning the Emission Trading Scheme into “an investment killer”.

A spokesman for Gabriel said Germany was confident an agreement could be reached with the Commission this month. “I’m not saying we are making changes, but we are in talks with the Commission,” he explained.

Wuermeling has not ruled out taking the Commission to court, if no deal can be made.

Legal action over first round NAP decisions, for the period 2005-07, achieved little. The UK won the right to revise its original plan but still failed to get Commission approval for a revised allocation quota.

A spokeswoman for the Commission’s environment department said Brussels received a letter from Germany on 28 December saying it would lower the proposed allocation, but without giving further details.

“As long as we have no precise figures I’m not sure we can reconsider the plan,” she said.